Tube supports



United States, Patent 3,135,488 TUBE SUPPORTS Edward J. Leonard,Marlton, NJ. Vernon E. Turner, 200 Du Bois Road, Glassboro, N.J.),assignor of one-half to Vernon E. Turner, Glassboro, NJ.

Filed Nov. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 239,970 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-50) Thisinvention relates to tube supports.

Difficulties have been encountered with the devices and procedures nowavailable for mounting neon tubes and the like for light displaypurposes. It has been necessary to drill holes at the desired locationson a mounting plate, then mount a bolt or the like with access requiredto both sides of the mounting plate. The elevated and relativelyinaccessible locations at which neon tubes and the like are used hasmade the problem of mounting the tubes difiicult because of thenecessity of working on a ladder.

The prior available devices in many instances have involved possibleshock hazards, particularly for replacements.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a tubesupport, for neon tubes and the like, which can be quickly and easilymounted for use with a saving of time and material.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a tubesupport which is free from corrosion in the presence of salt air andacid fumes, which is free from static electricity and which is resistantto heat and cold.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tubesupport which can be made of transparent material and will not adverselyafiect the visibility of the tube in use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tube holderwhich can be easily installed by the operator, only one hand beingneeded.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tube holderwhich can be removed, if desired, and reused.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a tube holder in accordance withthe invention in position on a mounting plate;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, still further enlarged, takenapproximately on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings a mounting plate isshown which serves as a back reflector, sign plate, or merely as asupport, as desired, for a gas tube such as a neon tube a fragmentaryportion of which is illustrated at 11.

The plate 10 may be varied in thickness in accordance with therequirements of a particular installation and merely by way of specificillustration can be in the range from 0.060 inch to 0.120 inch.

At each of the locations on the plate 10 at which a support is desired,a hole 12 is drilled through the plate 10, say with a three sixteenthsinch drill. The size of the hole 12 will be varied to accommodate thedimensions of the specific tube support but the size stated has beenfound to be satisfactory.

The tube holder 15 to be described is advantageously made of syntheticplastic material, which preferably is resistant to corrosion in theenvironment in which it is used, is free from the tendency to collect orgenerate static electricity, is transparent, is strong and free fromlikelihood of shattering, is resistant to changes in temperature andcapable of functioning without change in atmospheric temperatures, andis relatively rigid but possesses adequate resiliency at both ends. Thetube holder 15 is preferably made in a plurality of parts and includes atapered stem 16 with resilient fingers 17 extending therefrom,interiorly curved as at 18 for resilient gripping engagement with thetube 11. The spacing at 19, at the ends of the fingers 17 facilitatesthe entry of the tube 11 between the fingers 17 for mounting or thewithdrawal of the tube 11 if desired.

The stem 16 has a shank 20 coaxial therewith terminating at a shoulder21. The shank 20 is adapted to re ceive the central boss 22 of a spider23 having resilient arms 24 with terminal projections 25 extendingnormal to the ends thereof. The boss 22 has a central opening 26 throughwhich the shank 20 extends. The projections 25 preferably have roundedends 27 for engagement with the plate 10.

The shank 20 has an extension 28 of reduced diameter from which a frustoconical end section 29 extends. An end piece 30 extends over and ispermanently secured to the end section 29. The end piece 30 has atapered skirt portion 31 with bendable resilient spaced holding strips32 of predetermined thickness and length extending therefrom with slots33 therebetween and terminal ends 34.

The diameter of the extension 28 taken with the thickness of the strip32 is such as to permit movement thereof through the hole 12 in theplate 10.

The mode of application and of use will now be pointed out.

When it is desired to mount a tube 11 on a mounting plate 10 a pluralityof holes 12 are drilled at locations at which tube holders 15 are to bemounted.

A spider 23 is then applied to the shank 20 with its terminalprojections 25 pointed away from the fingers 17.

The shank 20, with the end piece 30 in place, is advanced to andinserted through the hole 12.

As the inserting action is commenced the tapered skirt portion 31facilitates the insertion. The holding strips 32 in their passagethrough the hole 12 are flattened to positions engaging the shank 20 andafter they have passed completely through the hole 12 spring outwardlyso that their terminal ends 34 engage the plate 10 to retain the stem 16in holding position.

The resiliency of the arms 24 of the spider 23 permits the insertion andaccommodation to plates 10 of diflerent thicknesses without thenecessity for using different sizes of holders. The temporary distortionof the arms 24 upon insertion is indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2.

The tube 11 can then be snapped into position for retention.

It will thus be seen that a simple but effective structure has beenprovided by which the objects of the invention are attained.

I claim:

1. A support comprising a stem having a shoulder thereon with a shank ofreduced diameter extending therefrom, a spider having a boss with acentral opening through which said shank extends with said shoulder inengagement with the spinder, said spider having a plurality of resilientarms extending outwardly from the shank with terminal projections at theends of said arms, said shank having an end member thereon withoutwardly projecting resilient strips collapsible to positions ofreduced diameter.

2. A support as defined in claim 1 in which said end Q3 member has askirt of smaller diameter at its terminal end for facilitating insertionthrough an opening.

3. A support as defined in claim 1 in which said projections haveterminal portions for engagement on one side of a mounting plate andsaid terminal projections are engageable with the opposite side of amounting plate.

4. A support as defined in claim 1 in which said stem at the endopposite said shank has opposed resilient gripping fingers.

5. A support as defined in claim 1 is movably mounted on said shank.

6. A tube support for retaining a tube in position on a supporting plateand said plate has an opening therethrough comprising a stem, said stemhaving tube engaging and retaining portions at one end and a shouldercontiguous to the other end with a shank of reduced diameter extendingfrom said shoulder, a spider having a central boss with a centralopening through and beyond which said shank extends, said spider havinga pluin which said spider References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,835 Miller Oct. 5, 1943 2,885,538 Mahon eta1. May 5, 1959 2,937,834 Orenick et al May 24, 1960.

FOREIGN PATENTS 459,970 Italy Oct. 11, 1950

1. A SUPPORT COMPRISING A STEM HAVING A SHOULDER THERON WITH A SHANK OFREDUCED DIAMETER EXTENDING THEREFROM, A SPIDER HAVING A BOSS WITH ACENTRAL OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID SHANK EXTENDS WITH SAID SHOULDER INENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPINDER, SAID SPIDER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RESILIENTARMS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHANK WITH TERMINAL PROJECTIONS AT THEENDS OF SAID ARMS, SAID SHANK HAVING AN END MEMBER THEREON WITHOUTWARDLY PROJECTING RESILEIENT STRIPS COLLAPSIBLE TO POSITIONS OFREDUCED DIAMETER.